Support for suspended files

ABSTRACT

A support frame assembly for suspended files which is comprised of a minimal number of components and may be readily assembled by the user without the need of special tools. The assembly includes a pair of vertical corner posts interconnected by a cross bar at each end of the support frame and rails extending between the ends of the frames. The upper terminal portion of each corner post includes a rail engaging portion and a movable locking arm adapted to retain a rail in engagement with the rail engaging portion.

United States Patent Carter 14 1 Mar. 28, 197 2 [541 SUPPORT FOR SUSPENDED FILES 3,291,194 12/1966 Kirtley et al. ..248/224 x [72] Inventor: Rex D. can", Clovis, Calif- 2,87l,86l 2/1959 Posner ..2l U162 [73] Assignee: Sheller-Globe Corporation, Toledo, Ohio Primary Examiner-Ramon Brim An -W'l & F 22 Filed: Aug. 11, 1970 [21] Appl. No.2 62,885 ABSTRACT A support frame assembly for suspended files which is com- 52 us. (:1. ..211/177, 21 1/1 84 P minimal numb" and may be readily [5]] [BL CL 1 assembled by the user without the need of special tools. The 58 1 Field 61 Search ..211/184 162 43 45 182 assembly dudes a Pair Posts 211/177. 248/245 5 3 2 nected by a cross bar at each end of the support frame and rails extending between the ends of the frames. The upper ter- [56] References Cited minal portion of each comer post includes a rail engaging portion and a movable locking arm adapted to retain a rail in en- UNITED STATES PATENTS gagement with the rail engaging portion.

Patterson ..21 11184 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDPMRZEHQYZ 3,651,950

SHEET 1 [IF 2 IN VHFVI'KILK. REX D. CARTER wawm m AT TORNEYS PATENTEBMAR28 I912 3,651,950

SHEET 2 OF 2 3 FIG. 7

INVEN HHQV FIG. 6 REX D. CARTER ATTORNEYS SUPPORT FOR SUSPENDED FILES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION suspended vertically. The upper edges of the folders have strengthening or stiffening means which typically project laterally at each end and are supported on horizontally extending support rails. When the file folders are stored in drawers of a filing cabinet, for example, the rails are conventionally part of a frame including vertical posts which rest on the bottom of the drawer and are interconnected by cross bars. Such frame assemblies may be inserted readily into existing plain drawers which may thus be converted to contain suspended filing systems. The present invention is concerned with a supporting frame of the above type.

Such frame assemblies can be arranged so that they will be easily assembled by the user without special tools from a small number of components which may be packed into small space for storage and shipping.

The frame assemblies readily adapt themselves to a great variety of drawer types and are of such a nature that the user can assemble the frame with associated rails at desired spacings.

Constructions of the prior art which are directed toward similar objectives as the present invention are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,697, entitled LOCK LEVER SUSPENSION FILE SUPPORT," E. D. Patterson. The constructions disclosed therein are considerably more complex than the instant structure and are therefore more costly to manufacture and cumbersome to utilize.

SUMMARY The objects and advantages of the present invention may typically be achieved by a support frame assembly having a pair of vertically extending corner posts interconnected by a transverse cross bar at each end of the support frame and rails extending between the ends of the frame, means for connecting the rail, cross bar, and corner post at each corner of the frame, said means comprising a integral upper terminal portion on the corner post having a rail engaging portion; linkage means interconnecting the terminal sections of the cross bar and the corner post in superposed adjacent relation; and a locking arm mounted for movement between an opened and closed position over the rail engaging portion of the corner post to engage a portion of an associated rail disposed within the rail engaging portion of the upper terminal portion of the corner post, thereby effectively preventing relative movement between the frame and the rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a support frame for suspended files incorporating the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of one corner of the support frame illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the terminal portions of the cross bar and the corner post with the locking arm in the open position to accommodate reception of an associated rail member;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 subsequent to the movement of the locking arm into a locked position;

FIG. Sis a fragmentary top view of a modified form of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 with the locking arm shown in the open position to accommodate reception of an associated rail member;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 subsequent to the movement of the locking arm to a locked position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, there is illustrated a support frame structure useful for supporting suspended files wherein there are typically provided two end frame members, spaced apart, one adopted to fit in the front of a drawer and the other in the back portion of the drawer. These members comprise generally vertically extending arms connected at the bottom by a horizontally extending section which is adapted to rest on the bottom of the drawer, and having at the upper end a corner post including an outwardly extending rail engaging portion. The upper ends or corner posts of these arms are connected by a cross bar extending therebetween. The ends of the rail members, received by the rail engaging portions of the comer posts, are secured thereby by the action of a locking arm.

More specifically, the support frame of the invention comprises two horizontally extending rail members 10, and at each end, a frame comprising a cross bar 12 and two vertically extending comer posts 14, the lower ends of which are interconnected by a bottom horizontally extending bar 16. Typically, excellent results have been found to occur when the aforementioned elements are fabricated from strip metal of uniform section with smooth edges throughout.

Each of the corner posts 14 has the terminal upper ends thereof formed with a horizontally extending section 18 and a substantially channel shaped rail engaging terminal portion 20. The cross bars 12 terminate adjacent the major faces of the rail members 10 being flush with and nearly touching these faces which are located at both ends of the cross bars 12. This orientation provides support for the rail members 10 against moments which tend to twist the rail members 10 about their longitudinal axes while the rail members l0 are engaged by the terminal portion 20 of the corner post 14.

The cross bar 12 and the horizontally extending section 18 of the corner posts 14 are interconnected by a pivot fastener 24, for example, having an upper head 26 and lower head 28. A locking arm 30 is incorporated on top of the upper surface of the cross bar 12 in the region of the horizontally extending section 18 of the comer post 14. It will be obvious that suitable apertures are formed in the cross bar 12, the horizontally extending section 18 of the corner post, and the locking arm 30 to suitably receive the fastener 24 prior to the placement of the heads 26 and 28.

The metal used for fabricating the locking arms 30 should preferably have spring qualities, as will become manifest in the following description.

FIGS. 1, 2, and'3 illustrate the locking arm 30 in the open or unlocked position to thereby enable the ends of the respective rail members 10 to be readily inserted into the respective end frame structure. The locking arm 30 has an engaging end and a grasping end, and is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, with the engaging end out of contact with the rail member 10. When the longitudinal axis of the locking arm 30 reaches general alignment with the cross bar 12 and the horizontally extending section 18, the engaging end of the locking arm 30 extends fully over a portion of the rail member 10. In this position, the rail member 10 is effectively prevented from moving relative to the end frame structure. Since the top of the rail member 10 extends beyond the bottom of the locking arm 30, the engaging end of the locking arm 30 is caused to be cammed upwardly, when the locking arm is rotated into alignment as described above. The engaging end is cammed upwardly upon contact with the rail member 10, as illustrated in FIG. 4, resulting in spring action being applied to the rail member to firmly engage it between the locking arm and terminal engaging portion of the corner post 14. lt has been preferable in certain instances to form the engaging end of the locking arm 30 in a curved shape permitting general tangential contact thereof with the rail 10. Such configuration facilitates thelocking action between the locking arm 30 and the rail 10 by guiding the engaging end over the top of the rail member 10. The curvature need not extend over the entire engaging end, mere rounding of the corners may well be suitable for some applications. Satisfactory results can be achieved by rounding one corner where engagement is limited to one side of the locking arm 30 for effecting a locked position, with the rotation of the locking arm 30 being reversed to effect an unlocked position.

Clearly, the engaging end of the locking arm 30 could ex tend outwardly beyond the rail member 10 without adversely affecting the operational characteristics, so long as the terminal portion 20 of the corner post 14 doesn't extend beyond the top of the rail member 10. Further, it is anticipated that the lower edge of the engaging end of the locking arm 30 could be leveled or rounded to facilitate movement of the engaging end of the locking arm to ride over the upper edge surface ofthe rail member 10.

Manifestly, it will be appreciated that to unlock the assembly, the locking arm 30 is manually swung to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, whereupon the rail engaging section 20 and locking arm 30 release, permitting withdrawal of the associated rail member 10.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate a modified version of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, wherein there is an assembly including a corner post 114 formed with a horizontally extending section 118 which terminates in a substantially channel shaped rail engaging terminal portion 120. The associated cross bar 112 terminates adjacent the major faces of the rail members 110 being flush with and nearly touching these faces to provide support against twisting of the rail member 110 as in the above embodiment.

The cross bar 112 and the horizontally extending section 1 18 of the corner post 1 14 are interconnected by a pivot type fastener 124, for example, having an upper head 126 and a lower head 128. A locking arm 130 is pivotally mounted to the top of the upper surface of the cross bar 112 in the region of the horizontally extending portion 1 18 of the comer post 114. Obviously, suitable apertures are formed in the cross bar 112, the horizontally extending section 118 of the corner post 114, and the locking arm 130 to reasonably receive the shank portion of the fastener 124 prior to the placement of the heads 126 or 128.

The locking arm 130 is provided with a cam surface 132 struck from the lower surface of the locking arm 130. Accordingly, when the locking arm 130 is in the position illustrated in H68. 5 and 6, the cam surface 132 is ineffective and thereby allows the engaging end of the locking arm 130, upon being rotated, to pass over the rail member without engaging it so that initial engagement of the raised or upwardly inclined end of the locking arm 130 with the rail member 110 is facilitated. Another way of facilitating engagement of the engaging end of the locking arm 130 and the rail member 110 without inclining the engaging end would be to extend the length of the fastener 124 enough to allow non-contact movement of the engaging end of the locking arm 130 over the rail member 110 when the locking arm 130 is in an unlocked position. While it has been found desirable to form the end frames from flat strip metal stock of uniform section with smooth edges throughout, the locking arm 130 may be preferably formed of a thinner material having more resiliency than the flat strip of the frames.

When the associated rail member 1 10 is to be assembled or interconnected with the end frame structure described above, the substantially channel shaped rail engaging terminal portion of the comer post 114, and the locking arm is moved into position such that it does not engage the rail members 110 therebetwe'en. Once the end of the rail member 110 is thus assembled or positioned, the locking arm 130 is pivoted or rotated to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. It will be noted upon examination of FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 that the lower surface of the grasping end of the locking arm 130 is provided with an inclined plane camming surface 132 such that as the locking arm is swung to the position illustrated in FIG. 7, the camming surfaced 132 acts to cam the end of the locking arm 130 opposite the engaging end upwardly from the cross bar 112. This causes the engaging end of the locking arm 130 to move downwardly and engage the rail member 110 while moving across the rail member 110. When the longitudinal axis of the 7 locking arm 130 is generally aligned with the cross bar 112 and horizontally extending portion 1 18 of the corner post 1 14, the camming surface 132 causes the grasping end of the locking arm 130 to raise to its maximum displacement at which point the engaging end of the locking arm 130 is forced downwardly to a position of full engagement with the rail member 110. In this position, the engaging end of the locking arm 130 is urged into snug engagement with the rail member 1 10 to lock the structure in an assembled form.

While the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 illustrates a camming surface 132, it will be appreciated that a pair of camming surfaces could be utilized to effect the desired separation of the locking arm 130 to cross bar 112.

Further, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the camming surface 132 could be mounted on the cross bar 112, and that the process of engagement could be readily reversed by placement of the camming surface 132 on the other side of the fastener from that illustrated to initially pre-stress the curved end of the locking arm 130 and then allow the camming surface to drop into a mating recess in the cooperating planar surface of the cross bar, thereby engaging the rail member 1 10 in the locked position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what l now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, l desire to have it understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

Having Described the embodiments of the invention, I claim:

l. A support frame assembly having a pair of vertically extending comer posts interconnected by a transverse cross bar at each end of the support frame and rails extending between the ends of the frames, means for connecting the rail, cross bar, and corner post at each corner of the frame, said means comprising:

an integral upper terminal portion of the corner post having a rail engaging portion, said rail engaging portion being of generally U-shaped configuration opening upwardly for reception of a portion of the length of the rail;

linkage means interconnecting the terminal sections of the cross bar and the comer post in superposed adjacent relation; and

a locking arm mounted for movement between an opened and closed position over said rail engaging portion of the comer post, said arm having an end provided with a camming surface to cammingly engage the upper surface of a portion of an associated rail disposed within the rail engaging portion of said upper terminal portion of the comer post, thereby effectively preventing relative movement between the frame and the rail.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said locking arm is pivotally mounted with respect to the cross bar.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said linkage means is the pivot for said locking arm.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each end of said locking arm is provided with a surface inclined with respect to the upper surface of the cross bar.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the end of said locking arm which engages the rail is curved. 5

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said curved end includes at least one rounded comer for generally tangential initial engagement with the rail. 

1. A support frame assembly having a pair of vertically extending corner posts interconnected by a transverse cross bar at each end of the support frame and rails extending between the ends of the frames, means for connecting the rail, cross bar, and corner post at each corner of the frame, said means comprising: an integral upper terminal portion of the corner post having a rail engaging portion, said rail engaging portion being of generally U-shaped configuration opening upwardly for reception of a portion of the length of the rail; linkage means interconnecting the terminal sections of the cross bar and the corner post in superposed adjacent relation; and a locking arm mounted for movement between an opened and closed position over said rail engaging portion of the corner post, said arm having an end provided with a camming surface to cammingly engage the upper surface of a portion of an associated rail disposed within the rail engaging portion of said upper terminal portion of the corner post, thereby effectively preventing relative movement between the frame and the rail.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said locking arm is pivotally mounted with respect to the cross bar.
 3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said linkage means is the pivot for said locking arm.
 4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein each end of said locking arm is provided with a surface inclined with respect to the upper surface of the cross bar.
 5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the end of said locking arm which engages the rail is curved.
 6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said curved end includes at least one rounded corner for generally tangential initial engagement with the rail. 